


At Times Like These - First Story in the Fever Series

by Pagan_Twylight



Series: The Fever Series [1]
Category: Stargate SG-1
Genre: Angst, Drama, F/M, Mentions of Rape, Mentions of Violence, N.I.D., Romance, Sexual Content, Tok'ra
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-06-15
Updated: 2011-06-15
Packaged: 2017-10-20 10:49:04
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 11,221
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/211981
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Pagan_Twylight/pseuds/Pagan_Twylight
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sam returns from a mission and again becomes disoriented as soon as she enters the tunnels.  She has had it with this happening to her and decides that this time when she confronts her mates she Will get answers about the months that are missing from her memory.  Her Mates, Martouf/Lantash, have to tell her something, or she is so out of here.</p>
            </blockquote>





	At Times Like These - First Story in the Fever Series

**Author's Note:**

> Series Summary: Several months ago, the SGC was taken over and many of the personnel captured and tortured. They are freed, but are living with the Tok'Ra, and most are back to taking on missions, even though there are some lingering effects from their captivity. But now, someone is trying to kill Sam. Who? And Why? These are Adult stories that follow Sam as she initially suffers from a case of memory loss, then is the object of several more attacks. Along the way, she collects multiple mates.
> 
> Most of the stories can be read as stand-alone. Almost all are NC-17. I would call them PWP's but there is a plot and story line that carries forward from one to the next, so I am simply saying they are adult in nature.
> 
> Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

**_Siest’kesh’cor –_ ** _Six bound by the Heart_

 ___**"Italics" -** Symbiote-Host Communication _

_  
_

* * *

**_At Times Like These_**   
**  
_First Story in the Fever Series_   
**

* * *

Samantha Carter walked silently down the blue crystal tunnel.  Well, as silently as these soft-soled brown boots could walk down crystal tunnels.  She turned another corner, sure of where she was going, but not sure why she was going there.  She wasn’t even sure she knew the name of the room where she was going.  Nevertheless, something told her to go there.  Now, before she did anything else.  So, she was going.  She needed to take a left here, and then go into that room, there. Yes, that one.  She always did this when she returned home.  She didn’t know how she knew this, she just did.  She took two steps into the room and stopped.  Just stopped.  She dropped her pack.  It was very familiar.  Very familiar.  Where the hell was she, and why was she here? 

“Samantha?” 

She whirled at the sound of the voice from the corner of the room.  She knew that voice.  Why was he here?  Why was she here?  Where was Lantash?  What was going on?  Why did she always do this the minute she hit the tunnel floor?  The missions were fine, she was fine, until she entered the crystal of the tunnel and then, it was as if she was suddenly preprogrammed; she had to get here.  Here, to this room, to—to him.  To Martouf.  To Lantash.  Where was Lantash?  He would come out as he always did.  Before long.  She would wait for him to come.  Just as she always did.  Just as she had for the last three months, or was it six?  They would not tell her, and she did not know. 

“Martouf?” 

“Yes.  Did you just arrive home?” 

She frowned.  “Yes, of course.  I just walked in here.  We just ringed in, and I came straight here.  I have no idea why.”  She frowned again.

“Martouf, why am I here?  This is our room, isn’t it?  Why do I go on autopilot, as soon as I get into the tunnels?  I do fine on missions.  I am Sam Carter, soldier and astrophysicist.  What in the hell is wrong with me that I can’t turn off this need to come here the minute I get in these damn blue tunnels?  Not only that, but, as soon as I start for this room, I can’t remember where I'm going, who will be there when I arrive, or why I'm going there.  Not until you say something, and then it starts to slowly come back again.  Why do I do this every time I get back from a mission?  Why?”  

“You have come home to your mate.  You never come home, without returning to your mate first.  It drives the council members to the point of chewing on the crystals of the council chambers, but you tell them that, unless you have news that will save a life, you will first see your mate when you return home.  They must wait.  Therefore, you have come here.  I am your mate, Samantha.  In your heart, you know this.  We have been mates for four months.  Before that, you know we both thought of the other in that way, but we had not declared it to be so.  Now we have, and you are here, with me, in the tunnels."

“Then why can’t I remember it?  Why can I remember everything that has ever happened to me up to six months ago, but now I can’t remember the three months prior to me waking up here, three months ago, as your mate?  Why did I bond with you and don’t remember it?  I mean, I know I must have because even my dad says I did.  Still, why can’t I even remember you asking me to be your mate?  Why?”

Martouf closed his eyes for a moment.  He so dreaded her questions.  They were always the same, and they still would not allow them to tell her the entire truth.  

Gentling his voice more than usual, he said softly, “Samantha, my love, there was—an incident—that has taken your memories of those three months away from you.  The healers wish you to remember on your own, if you can.  However, you are not doing anything that you were not doing before your memory left you.  Although your mind cannot remember it consciously, subconsciously it does.  Samantha, please, believe me, I would not lie to you.  We are mates, you live here now, and this is our room; yours, mine and Lantash’s.” 

“You do remember the last three months of us being together, you simply do not remember the three months that preceded it.  I asked you as soon as the incident was over, you said yes at once, and we bonded immediately.  Almost a month later, after a very stressful mission, you walked here as you always do, and then became unconscious.  You were unconscious for almost a week.  When you awoke, you remembered nothing of the previous three months, including our bonding.  I do have the papers, which your father insisted on as a Tau’ri custom to prove it, as well as the rings, and necklets that we exchanged.” 

“Nonetheless, during the month we were together as a mated couple, which you cannot remember, you always came directly here, when you returned to the tunnels, whether you had been to the surface for some “ _fresh air_ ”, as you called it, or on a mission, if you knew me to be here.  You always come directly to us, if you know where we are when you return.  With the extra administrative duty I have had to take on, I have been here every time you have returned, and that is why I say you always do it.”  

 _“Very good, Martouf, no need to tell her that it was determined that we should always be here when she arrived back.  It would no doubt upset her,”_ Lantash approved quietly. 

 _“Yes, I am afraid so.  She is still not completely well, in some respects,”_ Martouf sighed his concern. 

 _“I know,”_ Lantash agreed, his worry very evident in his voice.

“If I'm your mate, then where is my symbiote?  Where is she?  I know that I've thought a lot about this, and I had decided that if we ever did get together, I would not become your mate, unless I blended, because I couldn’t stand the thought of dying and leaving you behind after what in your lifespan was only a few years.  So, where is my symbiote?”  Her voice became harder as she demanded as answer.

“Samantha, please,” Martouf lowered and softened his voice even more, attempting to use it to help soothe her.   

“No.  No, Martouf, I've had it with doing things and having you tell me I am doing them because that is “ _what I always do_ ”.  If you won't tell me what happened, and why I'm here, then I'm leaving on another mission, but this time, I won't come back here to do things because I always have.  In fact, I may not even wait on a mission.  There are a lot of places in the galaxy that would give me a place to stay, until I can work my way back home.” 

 _“You will allow me to speak to her please, Martouf,”_ Lantash requested as he heard the note of near desperation in their Samantha’s voice.  

_“As you wish, Lantash, but she has never threatened to leave us before,”_ Martouf replied bleakly.  _  
_

_“No, she has not, and I believe she means it.  She will attempt to go to earth, not realizing that the earth she knew is gone, and in its place, there is but a shadow of what it once was.  At least, that is how it will remain for the present time, as well as the foreseeable future.”_

 _“Yes and eventually, she will have to be told, if she does not remember on her own.  The healers know it, too.  However, she does not need to be told those things tonight.  Tonight she needs other things worse than that.  Go ahead, Lantash, see if you can calm her.”_

“My Samantha, please do not say that.  You know that if you leave, I will go with you, and I have no wish to leave the Tok’Ra.  Why would you wish me to?”  Lantash asked her, his voice almost as soft as Martouf’s voice had been. 

“You don’t have to go with me, Lantash.  I'll be fine on my own.  I may not be able to remember what happened to me six months ago, but the rest of my memories seem to be intact.  I was perfectly able to take care of myself before then, and I am perfectly capable of taking care of myself now.” 

“There is no doubt in my mind that you can take care of yourself, Samantha.  It has nothing to do with that at all, and you are well aware of it.  You are one of the best soldiers I have known, and I have known many.” 

She stared at him for a very brief moment before asking, yet not giving him a chance to respond, “Where have you been?  It seems like it takes you longer and longer to greet me each time I return.  We were having a problem, weren’t we, Lantash?  The incident that happened six months ago, it revolves around you and I, doesn’t it?  I have actually been here longer than you are telling me, haven’t I?  Was I leaving you, and we were having a fight?” 

She frowned as she told him, “Sometimes, I see you fighting in my dreams, but somehow it doesn’t seem to be with me.”  Her eyes narrowed as she looked at him.  “Not only that, but Malek is always there, so that can’t be it.”  Now her eyes widened and she paled, “Was I,” she swallowed hard, “was I leaving you for Malek, Lantash?”  She shook her head at her own accusation, “No.  No, I don't believe that.  I mean, yes, I find him very attractive, but being sexually excited by someone is not the same as loving someone, so, no.  No, I do _not_ believe that.” 

She waved her hands in the air, as though brushing so many inconsequential things out of the way.  “It is really beside the point.  Our bonding was not working out, for whatever reason, and I was trying to leave and that caused this incident.  I am sure it was an accident, or I would not still be here.  My dad would have me out of here so fast, it would make your head spin, and you would be dead.  Why won’t you just tell me, so I can go now instead of making it so much harder on the three of us?"

Lantash stared at her in shock.  This was what she was thinking?  That what had happened had been a physical altercation between them because she wished to leave him?  She believed he was—was lying to her about the amount of time they had been bonded?  She believed he had _hit_ her?  That in his anger, he had somehow hurt her, so badly, she had lost her memory?  She called it an accident?  How could she believe that of him?  What would have put something so preposterous into her mind?  He felt as if his heart was breaking, to think that she could believe that of him.  Moreover, why him?  Why not both of them?  Did she really believe that Martouf would stand by and say or do nothing?  How could she feel this way about him?  How could she believe him to be so violent with her?  She, who was the most precious thing in his universe.  How dare she believe that of him?  Had he not shown her in every way he could how much she meant to him? 

Sam saw the look of completely stunned disbelief cross Lantash’s face.  As she watched, his eyes filled with pain, followed by deep anguish.  Then anger took its place.  She sensed and saw his body quiver, and she saw rage build before he closed his eyes.  Well, maybe he would knock her on the head, and her memory would come back.  He scooped her up into his arms, buried his face in her hair, carried her to the sleeping platform, and gently set her down.  Then he stepped back several paces and put his hands behind his back, his posture stiff and his face calm, but cold. 

Sam looked at him in bewilderment.  What had all of those emotions meant?  Why would they tell her nothing?  Were all of the things she had been imaging wrong?  If she hadn't been so drawn to Malek, she might not have believed them herself, but she knew how she felt every time she was near him, and it frightened her.  The pull he and Devlin had on her was way too strong, and she was avoiding them for her own good.  

She knew, without a doubt, that she loved these two in front of her.  She felt it in her constantly.  She would never have been leaving them for anyone, no matter how attractive she found them.  She found these two even more attractive, and that is what mattered.  She loved them, both of them, and the love she felt for them overwhelmed every other emotion.  She was not about to give that up for a passing sexual attraction.  Nevertheless, something had happened, and that was the only thing she could think of because they got along so well otherwise. 

 _“Lantash, you will calm down, at once, and think of Samantha, instead of your wounded pride.  She does not know you, or I, all that well, and she knows nothing of what happened six months ago.  Who knows what other crazy things are in her head?  You will not be angry with her for believing this.  How is she to know any different, when we will not tell her?  The least we should do is tell her it is because she was tortured.  That would lead her to think it was work related instead of personal,"_ Martouf urged him to patience. 

 _“She had barely a month with us before the post trauma set in and she does not remember it.  Therefore, stop and think.  Do not do this to us and to her.  Do not make her accusations true.  Our reticence alone could lead her to believe that the problem was a personal one and not a work related one.  As for her thinking it was you instead of me, you have been spending less and less time with her.  What else would she think if this was already in her mind?  Do you not think she would add the two together and come up with some ridiculous scenario?”_ Martouf continued to reason with him, slowly reaching within the hurt space to his logical self.

Lantash sighed _.  “You are correct, of course, and she is obviously bewildered.  I believe the healers are making a mistake in keeping all information from her, if it leads to beliefs such as this, and I will, as you suggest, remedy it now.  If these are the kinds of things that are running through her head, then it is no wonder she is not sleeping well.  It also answers our questions as to why she watches us with that odd look in her eyes at times.  No doubt she was waiting to see if we, no, if I, would attack her, or someone else,”_ His voice took on a bitter edge.  

“ _Lantash, you have not been with her as much as I lately, simply because you believe she prefers me to you.  Perhaps you should also tell her that.  A reason for your absence might help to alleviate some of her suspicions.”_   

 _“I see no reason to tell her that.”_

 _“I do, and if you do not, then I will.”  
_

 _“Fine, but you are forcing me to do something I find quite distasteful.  I will not forget it, Martouf, rest assured.  The next time there is something that you would prefer not to divulge, I will be sure to see to it that you will have to do so anyway.”_

 _“If I did not think that you would find her response allays your fears, I would not insist, Lantash.  I believe she is going to look at you as if you have grown another head.  Samantha loves you as passionately as she loves me.  You will see.”_

 _“Humph.  We shall see.”_ Relaxing his posture and his expression, he walked back to her and knelt in front of her.  “Samantha.  I promise you, there was no altercation, no fight, physical, or otherwise, between us.  We were not bonded six months ago.  Please, believe me.  If you do not, then I will find Jacob, and he will tell you.  I would offer again to show you the papers, but I realize that you would only consider them to be untrue as well.”  He took her hands in his and held them as he told her what he felt she should know. 

“The healers wish you to remember things on your own, but I believe that if keeping the information from you is leading you to think and believe such, such—well, such untrue things, then I must tell you at least what caused the memory loss.  I will not tell you particulars, but I will tell you that it was work related, and it was torture.  It was not during it that the memory loss occurred, but after it, so it is the post trauma setting in that caused it.  I wish I could tell you more, but I have probably already said too much.” 

“As for why I have been spending less time with you, it is because I assumed you preferred to be with Martouf unless we were extending our lovemaking.” 

“No, no you haven’t said too much.  You've probably just saved our bonding and kept me from heading back to my friends at the SGC.  I miss Daniel and Teal’c and everyone, you know.”  She squeezed his hands gently.  “So, we really have been bonded for several months, and I always do come here first to see you.  We didn't have an argument, and I'm not trying to leave.  You have no idea how much weight you've lifted from my mind and my heart.  I've been so afraid, so scared that I was losing you, and I didn’t know what caused the problem in the first place, so I couldn't do anything to fix it, either.  I didn’t even know if I was the problem, you were the problem, or we both were the problem.  It's been driving me crazy trying to figure out what to do.

“And with you spending less and less time with me, I assumed it was something between you and I that was the problem.  I have no idea why you would think that I would prefer to spend all of our time with Martouf except during lovemaking.  I love being with both of you.  I love you, Lantash, why would I not want to be with you?”

Lantash watched as two tears made their way down her face.  To see her cry in this way, silently and helplessly, made him realize just how much she had feared for their relationship.  He should have disregarded the healers weeks ago, and he should have remembered that, to a woman, sex did not necessarily equate to love.  Both he and Martouf must be sure to say it to her.  Often.  Besides, he should have known that she loved him.  She told him often enough.  Perhaps words had no longer convinced him, but her fear of losing him did.  She did love and want him by her side.  Furthermore, that is where he would be from now on, and he would remember that his Samantha did not lie to him.  If she told him she loved him, then she loved him.

He stood, pulled her unresisting into his arms and looked down into her blue, blue eyes, murmuring, “You are as aware as I that I cannot live my life without you, and that if you leave, then I will follow simply because I must in order to continue to breathe.  You are the breath and heart of me, my beloved, and you know that to be truth, for I show it to you as often as I may.  I love you, my Samantha.  Perhaps I do not always put it into words, as I should, but I do love you.  I, we, forget that for a woman, the sexual act, while wonderful, does not equate to love on an emotional level, as it can to a man.  We will try harder to be sure to feed your emotional needs.  I promise you.” 

Resting his forehead against hers he drew her even closer to him, before kissing her softly, moaning and then laughing in joy, before kissing her once again, “Mm, your lips are always sweeter than I remember them to be, beloved.  Why is that?  Do you sip honey before you come to me for kisses, so that I will never be able to remember, from one time to the next, just how sweet they are?” 

“Of course.  Why are you laughing, Lantash?” 

“I am laughing  because holding you in my arms and knowing that you have some of your questions answered and feel better about us makes me very happy, my Samantha.  Having your lips under mine makes me even happier.  Undoing this very last button, makes me almost too happy to be able to talk at all.  When I slide it down your arms like this, and place my lips to your throat, pressing kisses along the side of it like this, it is all I can do not to throw you on the sleeping platform and take you without further ado, my Samantha.”  Sighing, he pulled back and removed the shirt.  “However, you will want to bathe, I can see it in your eyes, and you have a report to give.  Which would you prefer to do first?" 

Sam looked up into his eyes and knew exactly what she wanted to do first.  “First?  First, I want to make sweet passionate love with you.  The bath isn't that important; today was the first decent weather on that world, I had a lovely pool to bathe in, and the council can wait upon us for once, Lantash."  She nipped him on the chin, kissing the enticing dimple that resided there. 

Lantash sighed against her throat as his hands reached under her t-shirt to loosen the undergarment.  He moaned, as her hands reached under his shirt at the same time.  They traced his ribs with feathery touches, finding his nipples and stopping to play just long enough to cause his hips to thrust against her once, before leaning back and sweeping her t-shirt off and throwing it across the room, not noticing that it slid until it rested halfway out the door.  He would not have cared if he had known.  

Sam’s hands were busy with his belts and closures, getting them open in record time, as he was busy with hers.  Both pairs of pants hit the floor, along with his shirt and she was picked up and spread on the sleeping platform in one smooth move.  Martouf came forward to spend time with her, as they loved one another.  Her body, as always, was a revelation to them, one that they could rediscover over and over and, yet, never tire of seeing. 

“ _Why is it Martouf, that the male never knows enough to show the female he loves her in the way she needs, yet she always remembers that he needs to be shown in a sexual way, and then gives him what he needs?”_

 _“I do not know, Lantash, and at this precise moment, the things her tongue is doing to, to our manhood are not making think—thinking—easy.”  
_

 _“You are correct.  I believe that I will attempt to enjoy instead of think.”_

 _“Good.”_

Sam watched Martouf’s eyes glaze as she ran her tongue around the crown of his shaft, darting here and nipping there, pulling moans and gasps depending on what she did, and how long she did it.  She smiled once more and leaned over taking him into the heated wetness of her mouth and setting a rhythm that would soon have his hips thrusting up to meet her.  Then it would be time to turn around and take him into her body and make-love to these beings that she loved so much. 

This was the ultimate act of love.  So be it.  She could do that.  And she would show them just how much she loved them.  Ah, Martouf was getting a little too fast, time to change the tactics. 

Leaving his shaft with a last sweet kiss, she slowly made her way back up his abdomen and from there to his chest, stopping to suckle each nipple, causing his hips to search and his hands to seek out her breast and her hair as he clutched her mouth to him. 

“Samantha, you are driving me wild with need of you.  You have been gone for five days.  Do not tease us longer, my love.  We are in need of you.”  

Sam looked up into earnest blue-gray eyes and saw the love shining there.  She moved slowly to his throat and made her way slowly up it until she reached his most sensitive spot.  It was a spot about a quarter of the way down on his neck.  Reaching her hand up and behind Martouf, she began to caress Lantash.  When she felt him begin to quiver, she called to him, “Lantash, I wish to talk to you, my love.” 

“I am not sure I can talk at the moment, my Samantha,” Lantash managed to say, although he had Martouf’s teeth clenched. 

“I want you to do something for me.  Promise me you will do it.” 

“You know that I will do anything you ask of me, my Samantha.  What is it that you desire?” 

Sam smiled.  “You promise me?” 

“Yes, of course.”  Lantash paused, becoming suspicious.  “Within reason.” 

“Too late.  You promised.  You will not heal Martouf when I finish, and you will not heal him as I work.  Do you understand?”

“Samantha, you are not going to hurt, Martouf?” 

“Not exactly.  But, you promised.  So, stay away from it.  I really do not think Martouf will care until, oh, maybe tomorrow.”  Sam grinned.  “Yeah, tomorrow he might care.  We will see.  But, no healing.  It will heal on its own.” 

“As you wish.”

“He's not a bleeder is he?”

“A what?”

Someone who—bleeds—excessively.”

“No, he is not.  Samantha, I do not think…”

“Good, then he will be fine.  Relax, Lantash, you will enjoy it, too.  I promise.”

Sam increased the strokes and pressure on Lantash with one hand and heard Martouf moan, a sound she was sure he was echoing from what he was hearing.  Her other hand found his manhood and set up the same speed and pressure.  “Samantha.”  Martouf was already gasping from those two sensations.  When she added her mouth on the extremely sensitive spot on the side of his throat, he almost came off the bed.  She used to have pretty good suction, and she hoped she hadn't lost it all. 

A few minutes later, followed by some noise indicating it was beginning to hurt, she began to lave the side of his throat there and lighten her stroking on both spots, as well as adding some mind-blowing kisses.  The drugging kind.  The kind where the lips meet first, very softly over and over and it leads on from there, to the point that if you don’t come up for air, you are going to suffocate. 

Martouf found the hardened tips of Sam’s breasts and suckled as she caressed his chest, and he moaned softly.  She was ready and she knew they were.  She began to caress Lantash again and heard Martouf moan against her breast.  “I cannot hold out much longer, Samantha.” 

“Good, love, because I'm ready now.  Come to me, Martouf .  Make love with me.  Make me yours in all ways."

He sank into her softness, and they began a slow rocking motion that quickly gained momentum.  With her hand behind Martouf rubbing Lantash, she pushed them to meet her and break through to the sky. 

“Now, Samantha.  I cannot stop.” 

“Now, Martouf.”  

They joined and broke through, riding high before floating softly back and settling easily together.

Sam sighed and got up.  Martouf opened one eye and tried to catch her hand, but she evaded him, shaking her head, and smiling at him.  “I'm already way over due at a council meeting.  You suppose they will forgive me if I explain that I had to give my mate a little head and a little nookie first?” 

Martouf frowned.  “What is this head and nookie?” 

Leaning over she kissed him and quickly danced away from his roaming hands as she began to dress.  Moving back toward him once she was covered if not fastened, she ran her finger around the rim of his manhood.  “This is head.  It's short hand for oral sex.”  She took his hand and placed it gently against her mound.  “If you take this and add the other ingredient, which is the half you have and put them together, you have nookie.  Another word for sex.  We Tau’ri are nothing if not inventive with ways to say sex without actually using the word “sex”.”

She smiled and blew them a kiss, then stopped.  “Martouf, turn your head."  When he did, she smiled.  “I can’t wait till my dad sees that.”  She looked at Martouf.  “Lantash, you will not heal that, do you understand?  You promised.  In fact, if you could make it just a little darker, I would appreciate it.” 

“What have you done, Samantha?”  Martouf stood and padded over to the mirror-like surface they used.  His eyes widened.  He turned to look at his mate. 

“Why would you put such a large bruise on our person, Samantha?” 

Sam shook her head.  “You weren't exactly fighting me off, Martouf.  In fact, I seem to remember a lot of very heavy breathing, a few moans, and a few “yes, mores” in there, if I am not mistaken.  Not to mention a few times that your hips managed to leave the bed.” 

Martouf looked back into the mirror.  “This is what you were doing?  When you were on my neck?  This?  When it began to hurt, you stopped.”

“When it crosses from pleasure to pain, you do stop.  It's a love bite.  Some call them hickeys.  I call them big purple bruises that mean you were probably really turned on at the time.”  Sam smiled.  “Not really, I tend to think of them as love bites, too.  I'm very susceptible to them myself and obviously, you are, too.  My dad really got bent all out of shape once when I got one when I was dating.  He told me he never wanted to see another one on me until he saw one on my husband first.  Therefore, Lantash cannot heal it, until dad gets a really good look at it.  Okay?”  She sighed.  “I would rather he didn’t heal it at all, but that is between the two of you.  I like seeing my mark there.”

“Are you saying that you have not had one since then, Samantha?” 

Sam laughed.  “I've never had one that my dad could see, since then, Martouf.  Be realistic, as much as I like that feeling?  Hell, yeah, I've had them.  They can go in all kinds of places.  Give it some thought, and I'm sure you will get inventive.”

“Come on you two you have to get dressed, and I have to do the report, but I'll meet you at the south pool in fifteen.  That's all the council is getting.  This was either a bogus mission, or their informant was full of, er, it.  There was nothing there any day that I was there.  Nothing.  To make it worse, it rained for the first four.  I think I'm getting a cold.  Me.  I never get colds.” 

“The temperature is the same as always Samantha.” 

She smiled.  “A cold is like a—an infection, a disease.  It can get pretty bad, depending on where it settles.  I hope that it will be just the sniffles and not go into my chest, too.  It's irrelevant for you.  You can’t catch it anyway.  You take care of all that kind of stuff, Lantash.  Listen, I'd better go.  They'll have the crystal gnawed down to the dirt if I don’t.  Maybe that wouldn't be such a bad idea.  I wonder how long it would take before they gnawed the entire chamber down?  Speaking of chambers and like matters, Lantash, one of you threw my shirt and bra into the doorway of our room.  It's bad enough that there is so little privacy here, do you have to advertise what we're doing now, as well?” 

“I suppose it might start a new fad.  Hey, it could be a new code.  If it is just a bra, then you are having a quickie.  If it is a whole set, bra and panties then it’s the whole shebang, go away, and come back later.  If it’s his underwear, oh, that’s right, you don’t wear any.” 

Lantash came forward and said sternly, or attempted to be stern, “I do not know what has put you in this mood, but you must put yourself into a more serious frame of mind, before you meet the council.”  His lips twitched and he firmly repressed them.  “We will meet you in fifteen, south pool.” 

Sam looked at him and winked, “See you.” 

The council was irritated that she turned up so long after returning from her mission.  When they asked why she had taken so long to come give her report, a little devil living somewhere inside her and the fact that her father wasn’t there, encouraged her to say, quite seriously that she had some private business concerning nookie and head that she’d had to discuss with Martouf and Lantash right away.  They, of course, had stared at her blankly.  They knew what a head was.  Nookie they could extrapolate out to nothing.  They chose to ignore it, and wearily asked for her report, late though it was.

Jacob, just entering the room behind her, had immediate flashes of the meanings of the two words fly through his mind and Selmak had taken over at once, so a scene would not ensue.  He reminded him his daughter was an adult, and Martouf and Lantash were her husbands.  He also reminded him that she was probably jerking the council’s chain for some reason.  Jacob calmed down at that observation. 

The council was irritated even more when they received her report.  They did not like it when their operative’s time was wasted.  Neither did their operative.  The council did not like it when their operatives were sarcastic, amused by them, and obviously jerking their chains when they treated said operative as if it were her fault nothing turned up.  She would have to do better next time. 

When she had bowed low and said in a very serious tone, “Yes, indeed, your royal pain in the asses, whatever you desire, if that is, it happens to also be what I desire.  If it is not, do not hold your breaths, because it will not be happening.  In the meantime, chew more crystal; it will sharpen your teeth.”  Selmak had asked to see her outside the council chambers. 

Her father had not come forward, and she had looked at Selmak with a faint smile on her face.  His lips had twitched.  So had hers.  He had looked at the wall behind her.  She had looked at the wall behind him.  Finally, he had said, “Your royal pain in the asses?  Samantha, what has come over you?  Not that they do not occasionally need to be reminded that they are not system lords, but you hardly seem to be the type.  Now they are all assuming you are your father’s daughter, which I can see you are.” 

“I am. They will not chastise me as if I'm a child for a mission failure about which I could do nothing.  I'm an adult, and they will find that I am much easier to get along with when I am treated as one.  Other than that, there is nothing wrong that a few days in bed will not take care of.  I'm getting a cold.  I don't feel well.  I was in the rain on that nothing planet for four days.  Listen, I haven't even had a bath yet.  I spent some time with Martouf and Lantash.  Now I want a bath.  Then I want my mates.  I'll catch you later.”

“Nookie and head, Samantha?  Your father almost had a heart attack.  The pictures that flashed into his mind were quite erotic, of course, and you were not in the starring roles.  While an excellent way to jerk the council’s chain, it sounds to me as if you have already spent some time with your mates.” 

Sam smiled.  “Not nearly enough, Selmak.  Not nearly enough.”  She started to walk away, but turned back.  “Oh, and Selmak?  Don't tell them that I apologize because I don’t, and I don’t want to make you out to be a liar.  Also, tell my dad to check out Martouf’s neck tomorrow.  Love you, both.  Bye.” 

Selmak bowed his head and sighed.  He understood.  More Tau’ri hosts.  The Tok’Ra would change with these hosts.  They were fiery and would not lay down for the symbiote to take charge.  It would be a true test of the Tok’Ra’s vaunted difference between them and the Goa’uld.  Once he and Jacob had come to know one another, they were fine.  It just took time…and patience. 

He listened to Jacob rant in his head.  He would calm down by tomorrow.  If he did not he would simply keep him prisoner until he did.  Selmak smiled.  It was an agreement they had.  When Jacob was about to make a complete and utter fool of himself or alienate his children Selmak was to take over until he was rational again.  Screaming, “let me out of here, you snake-breathed S.O.B.” did not rank as rational.

Ten minutes after leaving Martouf and Lantash give or take a few, and a couple of minutes after leaving the council chamber a naked Sam Carter lowered herself into a very warm pool.  Hearing someone enter the water shortly afterward, she smiled knowing it was Martouf and Lantash.  The kiss was Martouf’s, expert as it was, it could be no one else’s, and besides she would know his scent anywhere.  He always smelled wonderful to her.  The hand that slipped up to cup her mound, however, was not Martouf.  Lantash.  It had to be.  He was the one that handled her that way.  She gasped as a long finger probed inside her to be joined by another, when the first one found a wet warm welcome there.  Soon he had a rhythm started that encouraged her hips to move towards them over and over.

“Are you comfortable, my Samantha?  You feel comfortable to me.  Wet, warm, and welcoming.  Soft and silky, just waiting to wrap tightly around me and bring me a little slice of the wonders of the universe.” 

How was she supposed to answer that?  Was she comfortable?  Yes and no.  She was comfortable in the pool; she was less sure about her comfort level when it came to what his fingers and hands were doing to her.  It took so little effort on their part to set her off on a round of dizzying desire.  Her hips rocked with his hand, as his fingers continued rubbing. 

He caught her moan in his mouth and her breast in his other fingers, as his arm went more firmly around her.  Breaking their kiss, he lifted her higher to bring her breast to his mouth and pull the tightened, peaked nipple into his teeth and lips.  Hearing her moan again, he added another finger to stretch her core and used his thumb on the center of her sex to draw her higher toward her release.  His mouth suckled her breast more deeply into his mouth and he suckled hard, biting the nipple slightly, nipping and laving, pushing her toward the climactic release she needed so badly. 

As her back arched, her muscles tightened, and she sobbed out their names; he released her breast and again claimed her mouth cutting off her cries.  When her contractions slowed slightly, but before she finished her climax, he released her mouth and turned her around to face the side of the pool. 

“Spread for me, my Samantha.  Now it is time, for the three of us.”  She knew when they had exchanged places and Martouf’s hands were on her.  She laughed to herself.  How odd to say Lantash’s hands, and yet, it was true.  When Lantash had control, they touched her differently, they felt different, and their scent was different.  She would do as they asked. 

Nodding, she spread her legs and felt him enter in one long thrust.  She gasped, as she always did, when he hit bottom before he was fully seated, and they had to rock, stretching her, or she could not take him all.  A little work and finally he was in.  She moaned at the wonderful fullness.  She was stretched and full and being loved again.  She felt his hand caress her back and her shoulders, her hair and her sides before slipping around her and finding her full breasts and kneading them gently, then pulling slightly on the nipples, rolling them and tugging them, sending fire to her loins.  She rocked back against him faster, but he caught her and forced her to slow. 

“Not yet, my love.  We have time.”  Then his hand slipped between her legs and found the nub that would bring her to the edge and beyond before anything else.  His mouth found the side of her throat to meander the length of it, leaving small kisses and nips, when his lips were not open slightly to taste her with his tongue, or moan words of need and love to her. 

“Samantha, you have no idea what the scent of you does to me.  The musk of your body is still on you from earlier.  It is like the richest perfume, the most potent aphrodisiac, your skin is redolent with it, and it causes me to lose myself in you—in your body, in your essence.”  Slowly following the curve down again, he found the slope of her shoulder and delayed there for a time, as well, before heading back to her throat and the back of her neck. 

Her hand came up behind him to slowly caress Lantash. She laughed softly, as she felt him quiver under her hand.  She pressed her buttocks firmly back against Martouf and added pressure to the caress she was giving to Lantash that translated to Martouf as an extremely erotic touch on him.  He moaned as he kissed the back of her neck and whispered hotly, “You are burning us, Samantha, please do not play so with, Lantash.  You know it drives both of us beyond thought if we are highly aroused, as we both are at the moment.”

“Martouf, you are playing with fire, so why should I not have that pleasure, too?  You wish me to slow down.  So I will do so, but you will burn with me, as we go slowly towards the edge.” 

She began a stroking and pressing on Lantash that kept Martouf bent over her even though standing straight would lift him away from her hand.  He moaned and moved slightly faster.  It was too delicious a feeling from which to move away.  Lantash was humming and gasping in his mind, being no help at all.  He was in sensory overload himself, quivering almost constantly now.  Soon he would have what he and Martouf had decided to call the equivalent of a climax for the symbiote, and if they were lucky, it would happen at the same time Martouf climaxed physically.  It almost always did so, and, while always wonderful, it was exquisite and gratifying in the extreme at those times.”   

Lantash did not understand exactly what happened, but they both agreed it was an exciting experience.  Their senses entwined and wrapped around one another, and increased the feel of Martouf’s climax for both of them.  Lantash appeared to pulse as well, adding to the sensations.  When it had first started happening it had not happened very often.  Now, though, it happened more often than not.  It was a delicious, enthralling, and intoxicating experience that sometimes left them almost unable to move from its intensity.  The intensity, too, seemed to be increasing, the more often they achieved this total release.

He laughed softly, but it had a desperate undertone, “Are you truly so close to being ready again, my heart?  Did Lantash not allow you to finish?  Come, talk to me, and tell me what it is that you wish me to do for you.” 

Sam smiled, knowing he could not see her.  They were as much in need as she was now, she could hear the familiar tone in Martouf’s voice.  Lantash was probably practically purring by now, so a few more strokes and they would be ready for whatever she demanded of them.  “You know he did.  He always leaves me only halfway satisfied, so that you will have to finish, so finish, Martouf, before I melt into a puddle and add too much water to the pool.  Harder, Martouf, and faster, you know exactly what I need.”  She heard him gasp behind her, as she changed the stroking caress on the symbiote, to the ultimate circular massaging of one particular spot that always caused the most response.  Martouf did as she asked.  He had no choice in the matter at this point.

“I am not going to be able to hold on for long, Samantha, do you wish Lantash to return, or will you soon be there with me?”  His hands, one on her breast and one on her sweet spot brought a moan, but no clear answer from her. 

“Samantha?”  Her name was a plea.

“Oh, God, Martouf, shut up and fuck me, I'm ready now!” 

His answering moan was enough to let her know that he was with her as well.  She pressed down and moved her fingers in a pulsing motion on Lantash, and within moments, they were locked together.  As Lantash pulsed in time to the spilling of Martouf’s seed into Samantha, she contracted around Martouf drawing him deeper within her.  As always, the climax was “better than ever”.  So drained they could barely move, Samantha was lying with her head cradled on her arms on the side of the pool, with Martouf still draped across her back.  He moaned, echoing Lantash, who was still quivering and pulsing slightly.  They were still breathing heavily, and the water in the pool was still sloshing. 

After a few minutes they heard a voice say, “You know, those who clean this area, hate to see one of you come in from a mission.  The least you could do would be to mop up the floor when you are finished.” 

“Malek!  When did you return?  We have not seen you for several weeks.”  Martouf raised his head and smiled at the other man as he spoke to him.  They were good friends and spent evenings together when nothing pressing kept them tied up, and they could get away.  It did not happen as often as they would like, since Malek commanded a base and Martouf and Lantash were stationed on a different one.  They had often talked of transferring, but never had.  Malek had asked them more than once to come in as his second in command.  His present second, while quite capable, did not really want or like his work and would be more than content to fall back as a support person.   

“I believe it was as Samantha gave her report.  I am fairly positive that is when it was because I noticed that the crystals had been newly gnawed on.  It keeps their teeth sharp, you know.”  He winked at Sam as he continued in his self-appointed task of mopping up the water from the floor with used bathing linens.  Sam flushed red and could not stop the flare of heat that swept through her.  What was wrong with her?

Glancing at them from the corner of his eyes, he murmured softly and easily, but loudly enough that they could hear him, “You know, my friends, I do keep hoping that the day will come that you will invite me to join you.  I would enjoy that.”  He looked at Martouf and said, quite frankly, “She is quite beautiful, and we have become friends.  We would enjoy becoming _Siest’kesh’cor_ with you.  I would be honored to become second-mate to Samantha.” 

Lantash came fore and looked at his old friend seriously, “I would gladly welcome you, my friend; however, the customs of Earth are very different from ours.  Perhaps, someday, Samantha will feel comfortable enough with the two of us to choose you as a lover, and if she does, we will certainly invite you.  If she does that, then perhaps in time, she will feel that she would wish to claim you as a second-mate.  I will tell you this.  You are the only one to which I would even consider entrusting her.  The responsibilities of a second mate are heavy, and I know you would fulfill them as long as you remained bonded to us.” 

Malek bowed his head, bringing his fist up to his heart.  “I formally make my request known to you at this time.  It would be an honor to take on that responsibility, for the rewards would be great and the pleasures many.  I would never fail you, of that you can be sure.” 

Lantash bowed his head in return with the same arm gesture, “We accept your request to be considered as such.” 

“I thank you.”  Malek nodded, then finished wiping the floor and threw the towels in the dirty towel bin.  Turning back, he looked at Samantha.  She had a look on her face that was a cross between shock and interest.  The interest seemed to win.  At least, she was staring at a portion of his anatomy that was plainly outlined in this particular uniform.  From there to his face and back again.

However, Tau’ri cultural taboos ran deep.  Only time would tell if she could overcome them.  The last look she cast his way had become riveted below his belt.  Probably because it was becoming more and more prominent the longer she stared at it.  He was not sure how it could be, after what he had walked in on earlier, but it was.

Malek grinned, not the least bit embarrassed.  She knew he wanted her.  She just did not remember that he had wanted her from the day he and Lantash had been part of the teams that had overrun the SGC and rescued _all_ of the SG team members that O’Neill and the original team members had pointed out to them, as being the good guys.  They had been rescued and taken out of the SGC, along with all of the computers, hardware, software, weapons, and ammunition that they could get their hands on.  Moreover, there had been a great deal of it.  It was all done undercover, of course and officially, no one knew the Tok’Ra were behind it.  Not even the Tok’Ra council, other than Per’sus, was aware of what had really taken place.  It would remain that way.   

He knew she was interested in him, as well, at least physically and he also knew that she enjoyed his company.  Both his and his host’s.  He did not think it would take a lot to get her to admit that she was interested in him on a physical plane, and the rest would follow.

She blushed a fiery red and blurted, “You know, it’s at times like these…”  And then, Sam froze and stared at Malek, before turning slowly to look at Martouf. 

She whispered, “Four months ago at the SGC.  It was you.  You raided the place and took us out of there.  You got us out of the hands of the N.I.D.  We’d been tortured by our own people.”

“When you first found me, I couldn’t even talk; I was too weak.  I remember that until you got some water and juice in me, I was only half-aware.  If fact, I thought you were either hallucinations or dreams again.”

She turned to Malek.  “Then I remember, Lantash told you I was the most precious thing in his and Martouf’s world, and I knew then that everything would be all right.”

“I was so weak, I couldn't walk.  You carried me and held me so gently, yet so tightly, as if you would never let me go again, as if I was the most precious thing in your world, too.  I think you were swearing in Goa’uld.  Someone was helping Daniel out, and he told you not to say that in front of a lady, and then he smiled at me and made them stop, so he could kiss me.  He leaned over me and said he had told me so.  He'd told me that Lantash and Martouf would come for me, but he didn’t say their names, only that he had told me.  He knew I would know who he meant.” 

Lantash saw the rest of the memories come rushing in and came to the forefront and swept her into his arms, “Oh, God, Lantash, you killed almost every one of them that had hurt me.  You found every one of them that was there at the time and killed them.  You wouldn't let Martouf do it.  At the time, I recognized you, but they didn’t know who you were.  They kept asking me who you were, and I kept telling them that I didn’t know, and I didn’t care, that whoever you were, you were better than them.”

“I will never forget your face afterwards, when it was over.  You said it was not enough, that it would never be enough, for what they had done to me.  And, Malek was with you.  He agreed.  Both of you were there with me at the time and afterwards.”

“Malek, you held me while Lantash killed them.  I-I insisted on watching them die.  You were wrong.  Both of you.  I don't regret it at all.  The only thing I regret is not having the guts and the strength to do it myself.”

“Then you finally found the one that had left me like I was when you found me.  He was the one that had beaten me.  I told you that it was at times like these that I wished I had more physical strength because I would have liked to have beaten him, and the one with him, to death, but I was too weak to do it.  So, you did it for me.  You beat one of them to death, and I watched you do it.  I felt nothing for him.  Nothing.  Then Malek gave me to you, and he killed the other one.  Thank you for that.  It wasn't just for me, you know.  They had already beaten several other women to death."

"I know most of them had to be killed quickly.  Nevertheless, whether fast or slow, I thank you both.  Not just for me, but for the others.  The ones of us that had already been—been killed—by them.” 

“My Samantha, do not.” 

“No.  No, I need to remember.  I need to know what happened, and I need to join those working to do something about it.  I am sure there are those doing that.  Yes, I thought so, and you are part of that group.  Well, I will be, too.  That is where Malek has been, isn’t it?  Of course, it is.” 

“I do have a symbiote; it's just that I've never been blended with her.  She's waiting for me to be well enough mentally to accept her.  Well, I am now.” 

“I love you so much.  I didn’t understand.  I thought you were keeping something about us, and perhaps Malek, a secret.  But, you know that now after our talk earlier.  Why didn’t you just tell me?”

“The healers wanted you to remember on your own, if you could.  We would have told you before we let you leave, Samantha.  We would not have allowed that to happen.” 

“Daniel, the Colonel, Janet?  So many…what happened to them?” 

“Many are on Malek’s base.  Some, like you, have had trauma memory lapses and other problems.  Some have gone to the Nox, and some to the Asgard.  Some have regained their memories; some have not, yet.  Daniel has regained his, the Colonel is alright.  Dr. Fraiser is with the Asgard as is Cassie.  Janet was hurt very badly, and they are the most advanced medically.  They believe they will be able to help her.” 

“Teal’c escaped and managed to arrive at Cassandra’s before the N.I.D. did.  They hid for a month and a half as they made their way across the country to someone they had complete trust in.  That someone being Catherine Langford.  She still has some pull in Washington and managed to get a private word with the president and asked to see Jacob Carter.  The N.I.D. suspected nothing at that time, so they allowed him to come.  Of course, she explained what was happening.  Leaving through the gate, knowing you were there, was the hardest thing your father has ever done.” 

“Your president was very angry that he could not simply go in and take them, but he realized that they needed to go slowly and find out how far it has infiltrated into the government.  So, we raided the SGC with a cloaked ship that settled in on top of the mountain and off loaded troops who went in an unsecured back door straight to a lower level.  Luckily, there were one or two within the NID ranks that were willing to change their allegiance for certain concessions.” 

“And the Asgard were helpful, as well.  They could not simply beam out exactly what we needed as there was no way to tell exactly who was who at that point, but they could beam us in.  Therefore, we began to show up everywhere and soon had the entire SGC locked down except for ourselves and the troops from the top.  We used the gate to take everyone and everything out.  The Asgard took anyone we tagged with a sensor as needing expert medical help.” 

“Your N.I.D. has no idea who took you all out of there.  They may suspect the Asgard, though we were careful to be beamed into and out of places where no one saw us come or go.  Ski masks are most uncomfortable, but being dressed other than Tok’Ra was a must.  Luckily, Malek’s lapse into Goa’uld was in a corridor with no one around, but our own people.” 

“I am told that the soldiers sent in were units from what is known as “Special Ops.”  O’Neill has explained a little of what that is.  It was a good thing that we had such well-trained soldiers.  We had several injuries, but lost no one."

“The only thing your government was a little upset over were the executions.  However, they were brought to realize that they are playing in a much larger arena now, and some different rules apply.  These people had my mate.  She could be dead or dying.  It was my right to kill them.  You had been roughly handled by some of them, and they all met their end.” 

“They were a menace to an allied world, and were trying to take it over; they had captured some of their most important operatives.  In the rescue mission, if there were deaths, so be it.  In the end, we did not kill very many of them.  Nevertheless, most were in serious condition when we left.  However, by using their own tactics on them, we managed to get important information from them.  We managed to also interrogate the second shift as they came on duty.  If you will remember, we left the minor personnel alone.”

“Mostly we wanted the intel, which we got, the computers, and the munitions.  Once there, and able to confiscate all of their computers and backup drives, or whatever it is you call them, we ended up with a treasure trove of information.  We left the SGC very bare, Samantha.  In addition, we will get more information.  We know that it reaches into the highest echelons of your government, and we have traced it to off-world sources as well.  Possibly Goa’uld.”  

Sam swallowed hard.  “I want to thank both of you.  Without you, I'm quite sure that we would all either be dead, or the next thing to it.  Are Daniel, the Colonel, and Teal’c on active duty now?”

Malek nodded.  “Most of the time, yes.  They are splitting their time between Tok’Ra missions and the mission on Earth.  It is very frustrating for them because none of you can go back to Earth.  You are too well known.  Your roles are more as advisors and teachers, trainers.  The Tok’Ra must be perfect in Earth manners and customs.  It is difficult with a language as full of idioms as yours is.” 

Sam smiled.  “Is Daniel enjoying that part?”

Both Malek and Martouf, who had taken control again, smiled back at her.  “Yes, he seems to be.  Colonel O’Neill is the one that was not settling in very well.  He,” Malek cleared his throat, “he took a symbiote last week when a mission went wrong and a team member’s host was injured and was dying.  So far, it has been an experience for both of them.  They both insist that as soon as it is feasible they will undo the blending, but we have all begun to question if that is the truth or not.  O’Neill appears to be—laughing—to himself a lot recently, and the symbiote he took is known for his somewhat caustic remarks and sarcastic personality.  We all think they are perfectly suited, so time will tell.” 

“Daniel is also considering it.  He has begun a friendship with one of our older men who does not have much time left.  He is a scholar and historian.  It would be an excellent match.  Again, time alone will tell.” 

“Well, Samantha, I am very happy for you, however, I have only just returned.  I still need to retire to a pool myself, and then get some rest.  I have left my base in Zaris’s hands, and he will contact me if I am  needed.  If you change your mind, you know where I will be.  For the time being, though, I will say goodnight.  I will be here for a few days before I return to my own base.” 

“Goodnight, my friend.  I am glad that you have once again returned to us safe and well.” 

“Malek.  I started to say that it's at times like these that one doesn't know exactly what to say.  But, I do know what to say.  First, I want to thank you, again, for being part of the assault team that came for us.  Second, I want to tell you that Martouf, Lantash, and I have a great deal to discuss and that bringing you into our love-making will be one of the things that I want to talk about.” 

“He's right, and it's not a normal part of the Tau’ri culture, but I'm not on the Tau’ri world anymore.  I'll soon have my own symbiote, and I like you very much.  I do want to know more about what the relationship is, and what it means, but I think I can safely say that I'm not opposed to it.  So, the best thing to do right now, is to say, good-afternoon.” 

“So, good-afternoon, Malek, Devlin.” 

Malek laughed softly, “Good-afternoon, Samantha, Martouf, and Lantash.  I believe I will have some very sweet dreams later this night." 

Martouf left the pool and helped Samantha out.  Wrapping her in a large bath blanket, he dried her quickly and then threw it in the bin with the others before grabbing her robe and holding it for her to put on. 

He pulled her into his arms.  “At times like these, all I wish to do is love you, Samantha.”

Twining her arms around his neck, she brought his lips to hers.  They met in a sweet long kiss, lips clinging, tongues dueling, savoring each moment.  Martouf swung her around until she was up against the wall and pressed her there as his hands ran up and down her soft, silky body.  He moaned into her mouth as her hands found both the beginning of his burgeoning shaft and the quiver of Lantash as she began to caress him once again.  If they didn't stop and leave soon he would take her up against the wall.  It was always like this when one of them came back from a mission.  They couldn't seem to get enough of one another for the first day or two.  So, would up against the wall be so bad?  Sam caught her breath and looked around.  There was no one here.  Why not? 

Breaking lose from his kiss, she pulled him into a more shadowed corner.  Once there, she returned them to the spot she had marked.  It didn’t take long to get back to where they had been and beyond. 

“Samantha, we must stop this.  Come, we should go to our room.” 

“Why?  What's wrong with right here?” 

“Well, there is a meeting right now that should be ending shortly, and they always come to these pools afterwards.  I believe they will be here within the next fifteen minutes or so.” 

“Really?  Then you should hurry.” 

“Samantha?”

She laughed and then kissed him deeply.  “All right, I won’t tease you anymore.  Come on.  Why are we standing here, when we have a perfectly good room?”

Martouf smiled.  He would never grow tired of her, of that, he was quite sure.  Humming softly in his mind, Lantash agreed fully with his thought. 

Samantha Carter walked silently down the blue crystal tunnel.  By her side were the men she loved.

The End


End file.
